The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1887-03-19
APoIitIcaI Episode.
Sunday States. March eth

ment, which received the warm an
active support of ex-Gov. Nichols, dc
nounced on one hand as bolt frou
the Democratic party and defended
on the other hand as an entirely just
fable revolt against the "Ring !" an
he appeals to the States for such
statement Of facts as will present tina
movement to the Democracy of Loui
siana in its true light.
Our correspondents request is jus
and reasonable, for since the campaigl
in question is being discussed, its rea
character and history should be under
stood hence we feel it incumbent oil
us to comply with our North Louisiani
| friends solicitation.
We may remark, at the outset, tina
if the "Hunt movement" was not I
bolt-there is no such thing as bolt
and if that movement was in accord
ence with Democratic principles anG
usages, there is no such thing as party
discipline and any man or body Of
factionists may, with perfect propriety
bolt any Democratic convention that
happens not to square its nominations
and utterances by his or their wish.
In 1889 Mr.. Hunt was nominated
by the Democratic convention and
elected to Congress. We do not re.
call any convention that was more
conspicuously managed by ring meth.
DDS than the one that nominated this
gentleman. For weeks before the con.
vention met, or the delegates were
even chosen, it was an open secret that
"tho triggers had been set and the
bosses were to deliver the nomination
over to Mr.. Hunt. 1t was understood
that no other aspiring statesman need
contest this fat of the manipulators of
politics in the First District. In 1889,
when Mr.. HUT was to be the benefic-
iarie, this sort of an arrangement was
altogether lovely; it was the correct
thing; it was in accordance with Dem
ocratic usages.
But in 1884, when Mr.. Hunt as
pired to a reelection, he discovered
that he could not obtain the nomIna-
tion by the old method and that, un-
less he set up brand new Hunt party,
or could secure, by vigorous appeal
to the Democratic masses, the return
of delegates in his favor to tho Dem
ocratic convention, he would have to
go out of craftsmanship. Happily, as
they then thought, for Mr.. Hunt and
his friends, there was rumor atloat
that, in the previous election the
"ring bosses," who nominated Mr..
Hunt in the first place, had sold the
then pending nomination to General
Meyer for a subscription of $4,000
to the Democratic campaign fund. If
Mr.. III. and his reform" friends had
seized upon that rumor, Investigated
it, found it true and gone before the
Democratic masses to defeat such a
bargain, there is no doubt they would
have succeeded, and Mr.. Hunt would
have not only been renominated, but
would have also earned the glory of
having broken up a nefarious con-
spiracy. But the "Reform Democracy"
did not pursue this PLAIN, straightfor-
ward, Democratic line Of procedure.
Quite the contrary. They seized upon
the rumor, it is true, but they seized
upon it as an excuse for setting up
little private convention of their own,
all the members of which they ap-
pointed themselves, and nominating
Mr.. Hunt. No Investigation was ever
made Of this rumor (; it was never
proved; no appeal was ever made to
the Democratic masses, the story was
simply utilized BY the "Reform Dem
ocracy" as an excuse for boiling from
the party, when they found they could
not control the party convention, and
setting up revolt in the midst Of one
of the greatest political cricisis the
country has ever passed through.
This was the origin of the Hunt
movement. Not single subsequent
fact vindicated it, or gave it the slight
uGs ,'p So,os 4 Iad aol1oa .ho;,, 49, sooolIaJ
/, ,annon,ion mvo the Damocrotio Parish
Snmm;ttoe made several wTitten an.
peals to the leaders of the Hunt move
bolt The Committee beg.
asd Sor conferences aeoomnanyine
sho;r petitiop with an Expressed wilI,
ineness 10 divide the Commissioners
and al the functionaries Of the cleo
tions for delegates with ire s.Rreform.
srs y n M la1ter wonld consent 10 90
hafora ~ tha rsonla and test the iss,Se.
M, MIN ~ vsin En snch netitions we
raiobt 80 eI",os, sav snnnIications were
- !s.,,sn.os;Iu 80 roioctod Tn ono of
sSsir pssH renlias TO those ovortuTes for